Letter opener



A. G. ROSA LETTER OPENER Dec. 10. 1940.

Original Filed Sept. 22, 1937 BY waym dy ATTO R N EYS Patented Dec. 10,1940 PATENT @FFICE LETTER OPENER AnthonyG. Rosa, Lyndhurst, N. J.

Application September 22, 1937, Serial No. 165,203 Renewed March 7,1940

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination clip lockand envelope opener,and has 'for the primary object the provision of an efficient andinexpensive device of this character which may be readily adapted to apen or pencil and which will provide a positive securing means for a penor pencil in a persons pocket and also includes means for easy and quickopening of an envelope, said means and the releasing of the device froma persons pocket being. actuated by a single op-' erating means.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 isa fragmentary side elevation illustrating a pen equipped with acombination clip lock and envelope opener constructed in accordance withmy invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a'fragmentary side elevation illustrating the pen cap priorto the installing of the clip lock and envelope opener thereto.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a plan view illustrating a clip lock and envelope opener.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral I indicates afragmentary portion of a pen, 2 a cap therefor which includes therein aguard member 3 for the pen point 4. These parts are shown to show theapplication and use of the present invention. However, it is to beunderstood that this invention can also be readily adapted to a pencil.

The cap 2 is provided with pairs of slots 5 and 6 and an opening 1. Aclip arm 8 has formed thereon tongues 9 adapted to be inserted throughthe openings 5 and bent or clinched against the inner wall of the cap,as clearly shown in Figure 4, thereby anchoring the clip arm 8 on thecap. The clip arm is used to slip over the outer wall ll] of a pocketII. The anchored end of the clip arm is extended a limited distancebeyond the tongues and tapered, as shown at l2. The tapered end 12 isspaced a limited distance away from the wall of the cap.

An elongated plate l3 has secured thereto a pin I 4 which is adapted toextend through the opening 1 of the cap and through an opening l5 formedin the clip arm 8. A curved spring member I6 is formed on one end of theplate I3 and the free end thereof bears against the cap shown in Figure2. A cutter I1 is formed on the plate adjacent the spring member [6 andex- 5 tends through one of the slots 6 having its cutting end positioneda limited distance from the tapered end l2 of the clip arm. Formed onthe other end of the plate It is a clip lock element 3 which extendsthrough the other slot 6 and 10 engages the outer wall of the pocket toforce the outer wall of said pocket tightly against the clip arm andthereby prevent the pen from becoming accidentally displaced from thepocket. The spring element l6 urges the plate in the ]5 direction of theslots so that an efiicient gripping action will be had between the cliplock element l8 and th clip arm 8 and also positions the cutter so thatan envelope placed under the tapered end l2 of the clip arm can bebrought into engagement with the cutter and moved relative thereto forthe opening or severance of the envelope.

To free the clip lock to permit the pen to be removed from the pocket itis only necessary to press upon the pin it which moves the plate l3 awayfrom the slots 6 drawing-the clip lock element l8 and cutter l'linwardly of the cap which besides freeing the clip arm from the pocketalso will withdraw the cutter from the envelope.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described, comprising, a hollow memberfashioned with slots and having an opening, an arm associated with saidmember and having tongues formed thereon extending through certain ofsaid slots and clinched against the inner wall of said member,

a finger piece slidable in said opening and extending into said member,said arm having an opening to receive the finger piece, a plate securedon the finger piece within said member, spring means acting on. theplate and normally urging the latter towards said arm, said platefashioned with a section movable through one of said slots forcooperation with said arm in penetrating an envelope to effect openingof the envelope when said arm is moved. into engagement with saidsection and said envelope is drawn between said. arm and member.

2. A device of the character described, comprising, a hollow memberfashioned with a slot and having an opening, an arm provided with ablade engaging section and formed. with tongues secured to said memberand spacing said section from the latter, a finger piece slidab-le insaid opening and extending into said member, said arm having an openingto receive the finger piece, a plate secured on the finger piece withinsaid member, spring means acting on the plate and normally urging thelatter towards said, section, said plate fashioned with a cutting blademovable through said slot for cooperation with said section inpenetrating an envelope to effect opening of the envelope when saidsection is moved into engagement with said blade and said envelope isdrawn between said arm and member.

3. In an envelope opener having a support member, an arm secured to saidmember and having a portion spaced from the latter, a spring pressedmember carried by said support member and equipped with a section havinga cutting edge disposed between said arm and said support member, saidcutting edge operable for penetrating an envelope interposed betweensaid support member and said arm to permit said envelope to be drawnbetween said arm and support member to effect a slitting thereof by saidcutting edge.

4. In an envelope opener having a support member, an arm secured to saidmember and having a portion spacedifrom the latter, a spring pressedmember carried by said support member and equipped with a section havinga cutting edge disposed between said arm and said support member, saidcutting edge operable for penetrating an envelope interposed betweensaid support velope to be drawn between said surfaces, and

means for forcing said cutting edge toward one of said surfaces intocutting relation to such envelope to effect a slitting thereof.

6. In an envelope opener, a support member, an arm secured to saidsupport member, said support member and said arm having spaced facingsurfaces, a member having a cutting edge disposed between said surfaces,said cutting edge being operable for penetrating an envelope interposedbetween said surfaces to permit said envelope to be drawn between saidsurfaces, means for forcing said cutting edge toward one of saidsurfaces into cutting relation to such envelope to effect a slittingthereof, and means for moving said cutting edge into position for theintroduction of an envelope.

ANTHONY G. ROSA,

